Vs2008 3

AutoCAD .
NET API
Developer Technical Services
Autodesk Presentation Title 1

Getting Acquainted
The Developer Technical Services Group
Who Are You?
Autodesk Presentation Title 2 © 2005 Autodesk

Developer Technical Services
Worldwide Workgroup
 Over 25 Specialists World Wide
 Virtually 24 hour support, 5 days a week
Americas Team
 US (CA, AZ, WA), Canada, Brazil
European Team
 Switzerland, United Kingdom, France, Czech Republic, Russia
APac Team
 China, Japan, India

Getting Support
http://www.autodesk.com/adn-devhelp
 Provides access to
 On-line knowledge base
 Call submission
 Newsgroups
 Calls are logged automatically
 1-3 day turnaround
 Callbacks as needed
 Answers to frequently asked questions are posted in our on-line
knowledge base

Course Objective
It is to understand:
 the fundamentals of the AutoCAD .NET API
 how to teach yourself the AutoCAD .NET API
 where to get help afterwards
What it is not:
 Teach you .NET framework or C# , VB programming language
 Give you complete of coverage of all API functions

Class Agenda
Lectures with Labs
 Slides give an abstract overview
 Labs and discussion give a practical perspective
Lectures
 Overview of .NET.
 AutoCAD .NET Visual Studio project settings – Hello World!
 User Interaction - Simple User Input and Entity Selection
 Database Fundamentals – Symbol tables, Transactions
 Database Fundamentals – Dictionaries, XRecords, Table Traversal
 More User Interaction – Advanced Prompts
 User Interface design - WinForm Dialogs and Palettes
 Event handling – Reacting to AutoCAD Events in .NET.

Class Schedule
Time 9:00 - 5:00
 Lunch 12:00 - 1:00
Day 1
 Overview of .NET
 Visual Studio Project Settings – Lab 1
 Simple User Input – Lab 2
 Database Fundamentals – Lab 3
 More Database Fundamentals – Lab 4
Day 2
 More User Input – Lab5
 User Interface Design – Winform Dialogs and Palettes – Lab 6
 Event Handling – Lab 7

Questions?

.NET Overview
 What is .NET?
 Benefits of programming in .NET
 Important Concepts

.NET Overview
What is .NET?
 Microsoft’s Technology of a Web based infrastructure
 Seamless interaction between applications and the Internet
 Access information across anytime, anywhere from any

device

.NET Overview
What is .NET?
Components of .NET
 The .NET Framework used for building and running all kinds of
software, including Web-based applications, smart client applications,
and XML Web Services
 Developer tools such as Microsoft Visual Studio .NET
 A set of servers that integrate, run, operate, and manage Web
services and Web-based applications
 Client software that helps developers deliver a deep and compelling
user experience across a family of devices and existing products.

.NET Framework
VB C++ C# JScript …
Common Language Specification
Visual Studio.NET
ASP.NET Windows Forms
Data and XML
Base Class Library
Common Language Runtime

.NET Overview
What is .NET?
NET Framework
 Common Language Runtime (CLR)
 Object-Oriented programming environment
 Common execution environment for .NET applications
-Similar to Java VM – but with much stronger
interoperability
 Framework Class Library (FCL)

 Object Oriented Collection of re-usable types
(Source: MSDN)
.NET Overview
CLR Execution Model
Source code
VB C# C++
Compiler vbc.exe csc.exe cc.exe
Managed Assembly Assembly Assembly

Code IL Code IL Code IL Code
(dll or exe)
Common Language Runtime
JIT Compiler
Native Code
Operating System Services

What is Microsoft .NET?
What we know from our experience so far…
Intelligent symbolic representation

 Mature language constructs
 Collections, Events, Delegates
 Common programming pitfalls addressed
 Memory management, consistent Exception handling, unified strings
Source and binary inter-module communication

 goes beyond C++ and COM
 Meta data allows design- and run-time object usage and extension
Programming style
 Multiple supported languages – Choose your weapons

.NET Overview
 What is .NET?

.NET Overview
Benefits of programming in .NET
 Consistent Object Oriented Development
platform
 Automatic memory management – Garbage

collection
 Support for multiple languages
(Source: MSDN)

.NET Overview
Consistent Object Oriented Development platform
Everything you see can be treated as an Object!
Dim myLine As New Line()

myLine.StartPoint = New Point3d(0, 0, 0)
myLine.EndPoint = New Point3d(10, 10, 0)
myLine.GetClosestPointTo(New Point3d(5, 5.1, 0), False)
Dim x as Interger = 7
Dim s as String = x.ToString()
 Objects are instances of a Type or Class (for example myLine

is an object and Line is a type)
 Objects have properties such as StartPoint, and methods such

as GetClosestPointTo()
.NET Overview
Mature API Constructs
What’s wrong with this function?
int acedSSGet(const char * str,

const void * pt1,
const void * pt2,
const struct resbuf * filter,
ads_name ss);

.NET Overview

Mature API Constructs
Some 6 new classes defined to encapsulate acedSSGet()
Dim values(2) As TypedValue
‘Define the selection criteria

values(0) = New TypedValue(DxfCode.Start, “Circle”)
values(1) = New TypedValue(DxfCode.Color, 1)
Dim selFilter As New SelectionFilter(values)

Dim selOpts As New PromptSelectionOptions()
selOpts.AllowDuplicates = True
‘Run the selection

Dim res As PromptSelectionResult = Editor.GetSelection(selOpts, selFilter)

.NET Overview
 Consistent Object Oriented Development platform
 Automatic memory management (Garbage collection)

and consistent exception handling
(Source: MSDN)

.NET Overview
Automatic memory management

 Old Way (C++) - Potential for memory leaks!
char *pName=(char*)malloc(128);
strcpy(pName,"Hello");
//...
free(pName);
 New Way - .NET
 C++ - String *pName=new String("Hello")
 VB - Dim Name As String = "Hello"
 C# - String Name=“Hello”;
 // Garbage collection handles deallocation; no ‘delete’!

.NET Overview

Consistent exception handling
 Old Way – VB: Can be very confusing and problematic!
On Error GoTo UnexpectedError
Dim x As Double=10/0 ‘…error!
UnexpectedError:
MsgBox Str$(Err.Number)
 New – VB .NET
Try
Dim x As Double=10/0 ‘…error which throws exception
Catch
‘…what happened? Division by Zero!
Finally
‘…cleanup - do this either way
End Try

.NET Overview
 Consistent Object Oriented Development platform
 Automatic memory management (Garbage collection)

and consistent exception handling
(Source: MSDN)

.NET Overview
Support for multiple languages
 C#, VB most commonly used
 Can interop between code written in different languages. For

example, a class written in C# can be inherited from a class
written in VB! In fact, AutoCAD’s managed assemblies are
written using managed C++ which you will access from VB.NET.
 No significant difference in performance as all languages

compile to IL (Intermediate Language) executed by the CLR

.NET Overview
 What is .NET?

.NET Overview
Important Concepts
Assemblies Assembly
• Fundamental unit of deployment and Manifest

execution in .NET Name?
 Contains a manifest that describes
What files make up the assembly?
the assembly
Dependent assemblies?
• Boundary for code execution and Version and Culture?
access permission
netmodule Dlls Bmp
(Source: MSDN)

Class Agenda
Lectures and Labs

AutoCAD .NET API Documentation
How do I get started?
ObjectARX SDK Includes:

 SDK Samples!
 ObjectARX Developer’s Guide
 Managed Reference Guide
 Arxmgd.chm
ADN website
 DevNotes
 DevHelp Online
Visual Studio Class Browser

Development Environment
Microsoft Visual Studio 2008 or 2005
AutoCAD 2010
Microsoft Windows XP
or
Microsoft Windows vista

.NET Debugging Tools
 Reflector
 Browse .NET assemblies, disassemble, decompile
 http://sharptoolbox.madgeek.com
 Ildasm
 Disassemble .NET assemblies
 Visual Studio Tools
 Fuslogv
 Diagnose load time problems
 Visual Studio Tools
 FxCop
 Check conformance with Design Guidelines
 http://www.gotdotnet.com/team/fxcop/

Snoop Tools (for AutoCAD’s database)
 ArxDbg (C++) ObjectARX SDK
 MgdDbg(C#) ADN

Visual Studio project settings– Hello World!
 Start with a Class Library application type with DLL output.
 Add references to AutoCAD’s managed assemblies

 acdbmgd.dll
 Database services and DWG file manipulation (like
ObjectDBX)
 acmgd.dll
 AutoCAD Application specific (like ObjectARX)
 Find them in the AutoCAD install folder

(set COPY LOCAL = FALSE)
C:\Program Files\AutoCAD 2010\
C:\ObjectARX 2010\inc-win32 (or C:\ObjectARX 2010\inc-x64)

Reference namespaces you will use in your project
In VB.NET Use Imports keyword:
Imports Autodesk.AutoCAD.ApplicationServices
Access to the AutoCAD application
Imports Autodesk.AutoCAD.EditorInput
Access to the AutoCAD editor
Imports Autodesk.AutoCAD.Runtime
Command registration
Imports Autodesk.AutoCAD.DatabaseServices
Access to the AutoCAD Database and Entities

Add a simple command – HelloWorld
 Make a function an AutoCAD command by adding an attribute
Public Class Class1

<CommandMethod("HelloWorld")> _
Public Function HelloWorld()
End Function
End Class
 The attribute is added to the metadata for that function
 CommandMethod or CommandMethodAttribute type accepts

several parameters in its constructor such as group name, global
and local names, command flags and more (Use the object
browser)
To print a string to command line
 Get the editor object for the active document
Dim ed As Editor =
Application.DocumentManager.MdiActiveDocument.Editor
 Call the editor’s WriteMessage method
Public Class Class1

<CommandMethod("HelloWorld")> _
Public Function HelloWorld()
ed.WriteMessage("Hello World")
End Function
End Class

Loading .NET assembly
 NETLOAD command
 Demand Load (Registry)
 Startup
 On command invocation
 On request
 From another application
 On proxy detection
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Autodesk\AutoCAD\R18.0\ACAD-
8001:409\Applications\AcLayer]
"DESCRIPTION"="AutoCAD Layer Manager"
"LOADER"="C:\\Program Files\\AutoCAD 2010\\aclayer.dll"
"LOADCTRLS"=dword:0000000e
"MANAGED"=dword:00000001
8001:409\Applications\AcLayer\Commands]
"LAYER"="LAYER"
8001:409\Applications\AcLayer\Groups]
"ACLAYER_CMDS"="ACLAYER_CMDS“
Use Installers to set these keys!

Lab 1 – Hello World!

Class Agenda
Lectures and Labs

Prompting for User Input
 Use PromptXXXOptions to set the parameters for prompting
 XXX is the value type we want to prompt, such as Angle, String,

Distance, Corner etc.
 Use Message and Keywords properties to set the prompt string and
list of keywords
 Use AllowYYY to set conditions for prompting. For e.g.,
AllowNegative
 To prompt, use Editor’s GetXXX functions

 Examples - GetAngle, GetString, GetDistance, GetCorner etc
 Pass PromptXXXOptions into GetXXX
 Result of prompting stored in PromptResult or derived types

 Examples – PromptDoubleResult, PromptIntegerResult etc.

ObjectARX 2010 Wizards
AppWizard – Templates for a VB.NET or C# application
Add-In

Lab 2 – Simple User Input

Class Agenda
Lectures and Labs

AutoCAD Drawing Database
 In-Memory representation of the Dwg File
 Objects are stored hierarchically in the database - Db Structure
 All objects have identities – ObjectId, like Primary Key in a relational
database
 Objects are always accessed in a transaction
 The transaction defines the boundary of database operations
 Objects have to be opened first in a transaction before they can
be used
 Objects can refer to other objects – such as a line having a
reference to a layer
DWG

Database Structure
DATABASE
R12 SymbolTables Block Table Named Object Header Variables

Dictionary
Model Space
Paper Space
Dictionary Entry
Other BTR
Entity
Entity Entity

Database Components
 Symbol Tables
 Examples Layer Table, Linetype Table, Textstyle Table etc.
 Containers to store Symbol Table Records
 Example LayerTableRecord, LinetypeTableRecord etc
 All Symbol Tables have common methods of a container such as
 Add – to add a record
 Item – to lookup an entry with a search string
 Has – To know if an entry exists
 Is enumerable
 Each symbol table can hold only records of a specific type
 For example, a LayerTable can hold only LayerTableRecords
 Use SnoopDb to see where the Layers reside

Database Components
 Block Table
 Child of Symbol Table
 Holds a collection of BlockTableRecords (or Block Definitions)
 BlockTableRecords (BTR) in turn is a container that
holds only graphical entities (i.e., those derived from
Entity type)
 Two default BlockTableRecords cannot be removed –
Model Space and one Paper Space
 Searchable with a string or an ObjectId (more on this later)
 Neither the Block Table nor the Symbol Tables are created by the
user. They are created by default when you create a new database.
 Create a block definition and use ArxDbg or MgdDbg to see

where the block definition is stored and peek into its contents

Getting a Database Object
 Construct One
 In Memory
 Get the one currently active in AutoCAD

 HostApplicationServices.WorkingDatabase()

Object Identity - ObjectID
 All Objects that exist in the database have an ObjectId
 Is unique per session (or instance) of AutoCAD
 Is generated automatically for an object when it is added to the
database
 Non-database resident objects do not have an ObjectId set
 Can be cached to open an object later
 Get it using ObjectId property

Transactions
 Transactions
 Sets the boundary for database operations
 Handles exception cleanly
 Operates with a single Undo filer
 Can be
 committed – All database operations are saved
 rolled back – All database operations are aborted
 Can be nested

Nesting Transactions
1 2 3 4
Transaction 2 obj2 obj3
Transaction 1 obj1 obj2
obj1 obj3
obj2
Database
1. Client starts Trans1 and gets Obj1 & Obj2

2. Client starts Trans2 and gets Obj2 & Obj3
3. Client commits Trans2
 Trans2 changes are committed
4a. Client commits Trans1
 Trans1 changes are committed
4b. Client aborts Trans1 instead
 Trans1 (and Trans2) changes are rolled back

Transactions
 To start a transaction, use Databases’ StartTransaction()
For example:
Dim db As Database = HostApplicationServices.WorkingDatabase()
‘Get the current db used by AutoCAD
Dim trans As Transaction =

db.TransactionManager.StartTransaction() ' begin the transaction
 To commit a transaction, use transaction’s Commit()

 To Abort a transaction, use transaction’s Abort()
 When done with a transaction it must be
explicitly disposed!

Transactions
 Standard db access with Transactions
Public Function MyFunc()
‘Get the database current in AutoCAD

‘Start a transaction using the database transaction manager

Dim trans As Transaction = db.TransactionManager.StartTransaction()
Try
‘Do all database operations here
‘Lets get the block table from the database
‘Drill into the database and obtain a reference to the BlockTable
Dim bt As BlockTable = trans.GetObject(db.BlockTableId, OpenMode.ForWrite)
‘Everything successful, so commit the transaction
trans.commit()
Catch
trans.Abort()
Finally
‘All ok. Call Dispose explicitly before exiting
trans.dispose()
End Try
End Function

Transaction - Opening an Object
• Use transaction’s GetObject to open an object
 The first parameter is the ObjectId
 Second parameter is the open mode
 ForRead – Access but not Modify
 ForWrite – Modify and Access
 ForNotify – When the object is notifying
Dim bt As BlockTable = trans.GetObject( _

db.BlockTableId, _
OpenMode.ForWrite _
)

Adding an Object to the database
 Find the right owner to add a newly created object to
 All objects have exactly one owner
 The owner can be the database itself!
 For example, newly created LayerTableRecord can only be added to the
Layer Table, its owner, or a newly created entity can be only added to a
block table record
 Use Add method for adding Symbol Table Records to add to Symbol
Table
 Use AppendXXX to add add other kinds of objects to its owners For
example
 AppendEntity to add to BlockTableRecord
 Once an object is added to an owner, always let the transaction know!

For example
newBtr.AppendEntity(circle) ‘Add our circle to its owner the BTR
trans.AddNewlyCreatedDBObject(circle, True)

Important Managed Classes

Object memory management
 Note managed objects wrap an unmanaged C++ object!
 So we create them with New, Do they need to be disposed?

 No - garbage collection disposes the object when it wants to reclaim memory
 If the object is not in the database –– this deletes the underlying

unmanaged object
 If the object is in the database – this Closes the underlying unmanaged

object
 If opened in a transaction, disposing or committing the transaction closes

it automatically! – Clean memory management.

Lab 3
Create Employee block Definition

Class Agenda
Lectures and Labs

Recommended Transaction Use
 Standard db access with Transactions
Public Function MyFunc()
‘Get the database current in AutoCAD

‘Start a transaction using the database transaction manager

Using trans As Transaction = db.TransactionManager.StartTransaction()
‘Do all database operations here

‘Lets get the block table from the database
‘Drill into the database and obtain a reference to the BlockTable
Dim bt As BlockTable = trans.GetObject(db.BlockTableId,
OpenMode.ForWrite)
‘Everything successful, so commit the transaction
trans.commit()
End Using
End Function

Dictionaries and XRecords
 Dictionaries (Type DbDictionary)
 Containers to hold data only
 Holds other Dictionaries
 Holds non-graphical Objects (derived from DbObject but not DbEntity!)
 Is enumerable
 Each item has a string key
 Items searchable with a string key using GetAt() or Item
 Two Root dictionaries
 Named Objects Dictionary (NOD)
 Owned by the database
 Available by default
 Used to store database level data
 Extension Dictionary
 Owned by an Entity
 Created by the user only when needed
 Used to store entity level data
 Use SnoopDb to look where the dictionaries are stored

Dictionaries and XRecords
 XRecord
 Data containers
 Holds data in a Resbuf chain (Result Buffer)

 Resbuf – Linked List of TypedValues (DataType–Value pair)
 No “Key” to search values within a Resbuf. Should know the order

data is stored in the list
 XRecords can be added to Dictionaries

 If stored in NOD –database level data
 If stored in Extension Dictionary – entity-level data

Get NOD
 To get the NOD for the database
Dim db = HostApplicationServices.WorkingDatabase
Dim NOD As DBDictionary =

trans.GetObject(db.NamedObjectsDictionaryId, OpenMode.ForWrite, False)
 To create an ExtensionDictionary for an entity
myEntity.CreateExtensionDictionary()

Iterating Through Containers
Objects that are enumerable
 Symbol Tables
 Block Table Records
 Dictionaries
 Polylines
 PolyFaceMesh & PolygonMesh
 ACIS Solids
 Called traversers
 BlockReferences (Inserts)
 Only useful when attributes are present

Symbol Table Traversal
 Start with a database pointer
 HostApplicationServices.WorkingDatabase – Get used to this one!
 Iterate down into each sub-table from there…
Dim bt As BlockTable = trans.GetObject(db.BlockTableId,

OpenMode.ForWrite)
Dim id As ObjectId
For Each id In bt
Dim btr As BlockTableRecord = trans.GetObject(id,
OpenMode.ForRead)
Next

Runtime Type Identification (RTTI)
 Type information (such as constructors, methods, properties, events
etc) are contained in the Metadata
 Query metadata at runtime using types defined in System.Reflection

namespace
 Not only to query type information but also dynamically create them.
 Heart of Reflection is provided by System.Type class
 The class is abstract. Implementers need to inherit methods to
describe the type
 Get it using
 Object.GetType
 TypeOf operator (VB, C# or C++)

Casting*
 VB.NET
 Casting is automatic by assignment – Only if OptionStrict is turned
off
 Explicit casting – CType( expression, type )
 TypeOf – If TypeOf myObject is Line Then…
 If obj1.GetType() Is obj2.GetType() Then…
 In C#
 Line myLine = (Line)myObject;
 ‘as’ operator - Line myLine = myObject as Line; -
 if it fails, no exception, but object gets set to null!
 ‘is’ operator – if (myObj is Line) …
 typeof operator – if typeof (obj1) == typeof(obj2)…
 GetType - If obj1.GetType() == obj2.GetType() …
(* Source: The Code Project)

Lab 4
Adding Custom Data

Class Agenda
Lectures and Labs

More User Interaction
 PromptsXXXOptions is used to control prompting such as
 Set the Message

Enter Number of Sides:
 Set Keywords
Enter Number of Sides [Triangle/Square/Pentagon] :
 Set Defaults
Enter Number of Sides [Triangle/Square/Pentagon] <3>:
 Set Allowed values

Enter Number of Sides [Triangle/Square/Pentagon] <3>: -5
Value must be positive and nonzero.
 PromptXXXResult is used to obtain result of prompting

Prompts
Types:
 PromptPointOptions
 PromptStringOptions
 PromptDoubleOptions
 PromptAngleOptions
 PromptCornerOptions
 PromptDistanceOptions
 PromptEntityOptions
 PromptIntegerOptions
 PromptKeywordOptions
 PromptNestedEntityOptions
 PromptNestedEntityOptions
 PromptSelectionOptions
 Etc.

Lab 5
Prompts and Selection

Class Agenda
Lectures and Labs

User Interface Design
 AutoCAD Defined
 Menus – Application level menu, Context menu
 Dialogs
 AutoCAD’s Enhanced Secondary Windows ( Palettes )
 Color, Linetype, Lineweight, OpenFile dialogs
 Tabbed Dialog Extensions (to Options Dialog)
 Status Bar
 Tray
 Drag-Drop
 And more. Explore Autodesk.AutoCAD.Windows namespace
 Windows Defined
 Windows Forms (Winform)
 Host of other controls defined in CLR

User Interface
 Add Context Menu
 Application Level – Application.AddDefaultContextMenuExtension
 Object Level – Application. AddObjectContextMenuExtension –per
RXClass
 Showing Modal and ModelessDialogs

 Application.ShowModalDialog
 Application.ShowModelessDialog
 Persists size and position automatically

Lab 6
User Interface Design

Class Agenda
Lectures and Labs

Handling Events
 Event
 message sent by an object to notify something has happened
 message is received in a function call by one or more listeners
 event sender only requires function pointer to dispatch a message
 any interested party can implement the function and receive the event
 function must have a specific signature that the sender requires
 Use .NET delegates to ‘wire’ sender and receiver
 Delegates
 Like a class (can be instantiated) but with a signature
 Holds references to functions having same signature
 Like ‘Type-Safe’ function pointer
 Can encapsulate any method which matches the specific signature

Using Delegates
 Delegates in AutoCAD’s .NET API usually have ‘EventHandler’ suffix
 Lookup the signature of the delegate in the object browser
 Implement a function with same signature

 Instantiate the delegate passing address of the function into its constructor
 Add the delegate instance to sender’s list of listeners
 C#, use += operator
 VB, use AddHandler
Delegate myDelegate = new Delegate(address of myFunction);

EventSender.Event += myDelegate;
myFunction(delegate signature)
{
}
 Don’t forget to remove the listener!

Event Handling - Example
 Create the event handler (callback)
Sub objAppended(ByVal o As Object, ByVal e As ObjectEventArgs)
MessageBox.Show("ObjectAppended!")
‘Do something here
‘Do something else, etc.
End Sub
 Associate the event handler with an event

Dim db As Database
db = HostApplicationServices.WorkingDatabase()
AddHandler db.ObjectAppended,
NewObjectEventHandler(AddressOf objAppended)
 Disconnect the event handler

RemoveHandler db.ObjectAppended, AddressOf objAppended
Lab 7
Event Handling

Vs2008 3

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Description:

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Vs2008 3

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

AutoCAD .

Developer Technical Services

Autodesk Presentation Title 1

The Developer Technical Services Group

Who Are You?

Autodesk Presentation Title 2 © 2005 Autodesk

Autodesk Presentation Title 3 © 2005 Autodesk

Autodesk Presentation Title 4 © 2005 Autodesk

Autodesk Presentation Title 5 © 2005 Autodesk

Autodesk Presentation Title 6 © 2005 Autodesk

Autodesk Presentation Title 7 © 2005 Autodesk

Autodesk Presentation Title 8 © 2005 Autodesk

 Benefits of programming in .NET

Autodesk Presentation Title 9 © 2005 Autodesk

 Microsoft’s Technology of a Web based infrastructure

 Seamless interaction between applications and the Internet

 Access information across anytime, anywhere from any

Autodesk Presentation Title 10 © 2005 Autodesk

Autodesk Presentation Title 11 © 2005 Autodesk

Common Language Specification

Data and XML

Base Class Library

Common Language Runtime

Autodesk Presentation Title 12 © 2005 Autodesk

 Framework Class Library (FCL)

Compiler vbc.exe csc.exe cc.exe

Managed Assembly Assembly Assembly

Common Language Runtime

Operating System Services

Autodesk Presentation Title 14 © 2005 Autodesk

Intelligent symbolic representation

Source and binary inter-module communication

Autodesk Presentation Title 15 © 2005 Autodesk

 Benefits of programming in .NET

Autodesk Presentation Title 16 © 2005 Autodesk

 Automatic memory management – Garbage

 Support for multiple languages

Autodesk Presentation Title 17 © 2005 Autodesk

Everything you see can be treated as an Object!

Dim myLine As New Line()

 Objects are instances of a Type or Class (for example myLine

 Objects have properties such as StartPoint, and methods such

Consistent Object Oriented Development platform

Mature API Constructs

What’s wrong with this function?

int acedSSGet(const char * str,

Autodesk Presentation Title 19 © 2005 Autodesk

Consistent Object Oriented Development platform

Some 6 new classes defined to encapsulate acedSSGet()

Dim values(2) As TypedValue

‘Define the selection criteria

Dim selFilter As New SelectionFilter(values)

‘Run the selection

Autodesk Presentation Title 20 © 2005 Autodesk

Benefits of programming in .NET

 Consistent Object Oriented Development platform

 Automatic memory management (Garbage collection)

 Support for multiple languages

Autodesk Presentation Title 21 © 2005 Autodesk

Benefits of programming in .NET

Automatic memory management

Autodesk Presentation Title 22 © 2005 Autodesk